Ham sandwich

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A ham submarine sandwich

The ham sandwich is a common type of sandwich. It is made by putting sliced ham between two slices of bread.[1] The bread may be toasted and buttered. A slice of cheese and vegetables such as lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles are sometimes included, and condiments such as mustard and/or mayonnaise are common.

History

The ham sandwich is one of the earliest recorded closed-face sandwiches; by 1850, at least 70 London street vendors offered it.[2] In 18th-century Britain the sandwich was still closely associated with Spanish cuisine, which (considering the especially wide consumption of ham in Spain) may suggest that sandwiches with ham were preferred at that time as well.[3]

Consumption

The British Sandwich Association says that the ham sandwich is the most sold sandwich in the UK,[4] and a survey they conducted in 2001 saw ham as the second favourite filling behind cheese.[5] 70% of the 1.8 billion sandwiches eaten in France in 2008 were ham sandwiches, prompting a French economic analysis firm to begin a 'jambon-beurre index', like the Big Mac Index, to compare prices across the country.[6] Most ham sandwiches sold in the UK are processed, using formed ham and bread made using the Chorleywood Bread Process.[7]

The world's longest ham sandwich was created by butcher Nico Jimenez in 2009 in Pamplona, Spain.[8]

Health

The World Cancer Research Fund warned in 2009 against parents feeding their children too many ham sandwiches, due to the risk of bowel cancer from the processed meat.[9][10] A ham sandwich was suspected of causing an outbreak of swine fever in the UK in 2000.[11]

Cultural impact

An saying in criminal law states that "A good prosecutor could get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich."[12] A fictional talking ham sandwich appeared in an online noir serial in the late 1990s, and the publishers sued in 1999 when a similar character appeared in a television advertisement for Florida orange juice, though the suit was withdrawn.[13][14]

References

  1. ^ Jean Pare (1987). Soups & Sandwiches: Soups and Sandwiches. Company's Coming Publishing Limited. ISBN 9780969069560., p. 138: "Insert slices of ham and cheese between 2 slices of buttered bread or toast. Add lettuce along with mayonnaise and/or mustard."
  2. ^ Alan Davidson and Tom Jaine (2006). The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780192806819., p. 692.
  3. ^ [1]
  4. ^ Porter, John (23 April 2009). "Ham it up in British Sandwich Week". The Publican. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
  5. ^ "Shaping the sandwich of the future". BBC News. 18 May 2001. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
  6. ^ Partos, Lindsey (11 March 2009). "New ham sandwich economic 'yardstick' mimicks Big Mac index". Food and Drink Europe. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
  7. ^ Lawrence, Felicity (22 March 2005). "Unsavoury secrets about your ham sandwich". Daily Mail. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
  8. ^ "Ham fisted". Austrian Times. 29 October 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
  9. ^ "Cancer warnings on ham sandwiches". The Courier Mail. 18 August 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
  10. ^ "Charity seeks end to lunchbox ham". BBC News. 17 August 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
  11. ^ Brown, David (28 September 2000). "Rambler 'started pig fever' with ham sandwich". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
  12. ^ "Grand jury reform". NACDL. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
  13. ^ Pfister, Nancy (19 February 1999). "K.O. the mayo! Bread bites back". Orlando Business Journal. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
  14. ^ Hil, J. Dee (24 January 2000). "Richards, Web Site Settle Dispute Over 'Talking Sandwich'". Adweek. Retrieved 2009-11-06.